What Does My Blood Pressure Number Mean?

January 20, 2026

Understanding Your Top and Bottom Numbers

Table of Contents

What Does the Top Number on My Blood Pressure Mean?
What Does the Bottom Number on My Blood Pressure Mean?
What is “Normal” Blood Pressure?
What Does My Blood Pressure Mean?
I Have High Blood Pressure—What Do I Do?

Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, yet many don’t even know what their blood pressure readings mean.

This American Heart Month, Coryell Health cardiologists are shedding light on one of the most important indicators of cardiovascular health: your blood pressure. Understanding both the top and bottom numbers of your blood pressure can help you recognize your risk for heart disease early on and take control of your heart health before complications arise.

What Does the Top Number on My Blood Pressure Mean?

The top number of your blood pressure is your systolic blood pressure. This number measures the pressure at which your blood is pushing against the walls of your arteries when your heart beats.

“Your systolic blood pressure tends to increase gradually as you age,” says Coryell Health cardiologist Dr. Brian Walton. “When your arteries naturally stiffen with age, your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body, which can raise your systolic blood pressure. Plaque also tends to build up in your arteries over time. This makes your arteries more narrow and also makes your heart pump harder, typically raising your systolic blood pressure as well.”

Although both your top (systolic) and bottom (diastolic) numbers are important, your systolic blood pressure is the key indicator of your risk of developing heart disease—especially for people over age 50.

What Does the Bottom Number on My Blood Pressure Mean?

The bottom number of your blood pressure is your diastolic blood pressure. This number measures the pressure at which your blood is pushing against the walls of your arteries when your heart is resting in between beats.

“Although your systolic blood pressure, or top number, is often what doctors pay more attention to, your diastolic blood pressure is equally important,” says Coryell Health cardiologist Dr. Abdul Keylani. “Both numbers can be indicators of hypertension, or high blood pressure, if they’re consistently increasing over time.”

Unlike systolic blood pressure, your diastolic blood pressure actually tends to naturally lower as you age. Since your arteries stiffen with age, they become less elastic and have more trouble bouncing back between heartbeats, which causes your diastolic blood pressure to drop. This means it’s especially noticeable when your diastolic blood pressure increases, and it can be a sign of hypertension.

What is “Normal” Blood Pressure?

“The word ‘normal’ can be relative, but a normal blood pressure is typically considered to be 120/80 mm Hg or less,” Dr. Brian Walton says. “There are variations of normal blood pressure depending on your age and gender. Women have a lower normal blood pressure range compared to men and children have a lower normal blood pressure range compared to adults.”

If you’re worried about whether your own blood pressure is normal for your age, gender, weight or other factors, consult the chart below and talk to your Coryell Health cardiologist.

What Does My Blood Pressure Mean?

Now that you know what the systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressures mean, here are the categories your blood pressure may fall under.

I Have High Blood Pressure—What Do I Do?

If you’re experiencing hypertension or even elevated blood pressure, Coryell Health’s cardiology team recommends:

Exercising regularly (aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day)
Eating plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products
Reducing salt and sodium in your diet
Limiting your alcohol intake
Quitting smoking

If your blood pressure readings are elevated or consistently high, early intervention can make all the difference. Coryell Health offers advanced cardiology care, including calcium heart CT scans, to help you identify any risk early and create a personalized care plan to support your lifelong heart health.

Call (254) 865-2166 to schedule an appointment with a Coryell Health cardiologist and call (254) 248-6238 to schedule your calcium heart CT scan (only $50 through the end of March) and assess your future risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

Meet the Doctors

Dr. Brian Walton is a board certified interventional cardiologist with over 20 years of experience in general cardiology, interventional cardiology and vascular medicine. Throughout his career, he has served as the director of cardiovascular imaging and experimental therapeutics at the Texas Heart Institute (THI) and the associate editor of the THI Journal. Dr. Walton is a member of both the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. He’s also an accomplished researcher with prior appointments at Houston Methodist Hospital and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Dr. Abdul Keylani is a cardiologist with over 30 years of experience treating patients of all ages. Dr. Keylani specializes in echocardiography, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology and peripheral endovascular interventional cardiology. He’s also highly experienced in valvular heart disease, interventional cardiology, cardiac catheterization and echocardiography.

Resources

High Blood Pressure Facts (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Heart Disease Risk Factors (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Understanding Blood Pressure Readings (American Heart Association)
What is High Blood Pressure? (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
High Blood Pressure Dangers: Hypertension’s Effects On Your Body (Mayo Clinic)

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